1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network communication, and more particularly, to a method and device for determining a main speaker in a distributed telepresence service.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The term “telepresence” has various definitions according to viewpoints but generally refers to technology which allows viewers in an environment mediated via a network such as the Internet to similarly feel a virtual environment as a real environment or which provides a cognitive immersion state as equating with reality. Telepresence is frequently applied to a realistic video conference service that supports a high-definition large screen, stereophonic sound, or the like which give viewers the feeling of a real environment.
A goal of a telepresence service is to give a plurality of speakers in remote locations the feeling of being in the same location, unlike existing video conference services. To this end, high-performance visual and auditory devices and emotional technology are used to provide immersion and presence to telepresence participants. In particular, high definition video technology may be a factor which greatly influences a realistic effect capable of being felt by the telepresence participants.
Telepresence systems in the related art have adopted a centralized structure. In a telepresence system with such a centralized structure, a central server processes media (video and sound) packets and call control packets of all user clients. In the centralized structure, although it is possible to easily implement a function, overall traffic is concentrated on a communication node in which the central server is installed. As a result, a maximum service capacity is limited.
In order to address such a problem, a distributed telepresence system in which a media processing function and a call processing function of the central server are distributed and processed over a communication network has been increasingly considered. In the distributed telepresence system, an access node that is the closest to a user in terms of a hierarchy of the communication network processes the functions. Accordingly, it is possible to significantly reduce an increase and congestion of a media traffic load which are problems in the related art. However, due to the absence of the central server, there may be certain limitations of implementation of various functions. Therefore, these limitations may serve as constraints of enhancing reality and immersion of the telepresence system.